System for generating nonperiodical electric sparks



June 10, 1969 K. o. WOSYLUS' SYSTEM FOR GENERATING NONPERIODICALELECTRIC SPARKS Filed March 1;. 1968 Sheetof 2 Fig.2

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June 10, 1969 K. D. WOSYLUS- 3,449,6 6 SYSTEM FOR GENERATINGNONPERIODICAL ELECTRIC SPARKS I Filed March 15. 19 68 I Sheet 2Inventor: K/ZQILS 2M? H Ix: Money United States Patent Int. Cl. H01t13/40 F2311 3/00, 5/00 U.S. Cl. 31781 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A system for mechanically generating nonperiodical electricsparks has a permanent magnet, two soft iron conductors each in contactwith a pole of the magnet, and at least one armature that is movablebetween a position in contact with the ends of the conductors and aposition spaced therefrom. The other ends of the conductors for at leasta time period define an air gap. A low voltage coil surrounds oneconductor and is arranged In parallel with a condenser and a normallyclosed sw tch that is opened by the armature as the armature moves intothe contact position, and a high voltage coil that surrounds the otherconductor and is in series with a spark gap arrangement.

The invention relates to the mechanical generation of nonperiodicalelectric sparks by means of magnetic induction, and'more particularly toa system that includes a permanent magnet, soft iron conductors, a highvoltage coil, a low voltage coil that has in parallel a condenser and ashunting switch, and a movable armature that operates to open theshunting switch.

Magnetoelectricaly generated high voltage sparks are widely used forigniting combustible mixtures of gases, vapors or mists, particularly inconnection with lighters. All generators for these type sparks have incommon that they change in as short a period as possible the magneticflux, the latter being in connection with coils. The mathematicalexpression for the voltage produced, namely d/dt becomes so large, thatthe voltage wherein N is the amount of windings of the coils, surpassesthe value necessary for the spark formation.

The aforesaid arrangements are known in various forms of execution. Thussystems are known wherein an air gap within a magnetic flux path, thatconsists of a permanent magnet and a yoke of soft iron with a coil, isopened by means of a soft iron armature, it being necessary, however,that the armature is pulled out of the flux path as rapidly as possibleSystems of this type have the disadvantage, however, that the change offlux d has its maximum at the instant when during the aforesaidpullingout movement the air gap is first formed. In that instant,however, the speed of the armature is small, so that due to the largevalue of dt the expression dgb/dl will remain small.

In accordance with another system, an increase in the rate change isachieved by closing, rather than opening, the magnetic flux path. Bythis arrangement, the aforesaid drawback of a too slow speed of thearmature near the point of closing is avoided.

In accordance with all these arrangements, the change in flux is broughtabout by introducing, eliminating or changing air gaps within thepermanent magnetic flux path by means of a mechanical action; by eitheradding magnetic resistances in series to the existing magnetic PatentedJune 10, 1969 resistances, or by subtracting magnetic resistances fromthe existing magnetic resistances. This arrangement is disadvantageous,however, because due to the characteristics of permanent magnets onlylimited induction changes are possible.

It is accordingly among the principal objects of the invention toprovide a system for mechanically generating non-periodically. electricsparks, that avoids the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a system that issimple to make and easy to maintain.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inpart in the following specification and in part will be obvioustherefrom without being specifically referred to, the same beingrealized and attained as pointed out in the claims hereof.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a permanent magnetis provided with two magnetic parallel flux paths; one of these pathsincludes a constant air gap and includes soft iron conductors that carrythe induction coils; and the other flux path includes soft ironconductors and a movable armature that may be accelerated towards thesoft iron conductors and is operative to shunt the permanent magnetthrough the soft iron conductors.

In accordance with another facet of the invention, a permanent magnet isagain provided with two magnetic parallel flux paths; one of these pathsincludes again soft iron conductors and has a constant air gap; and thesecond path includes soft iron conductors and the induction coils aremounted on the soft iron conductors of the second flux path, and thesecond flux path includes again a movable armature that may beaccelerated towards the soft iron conductors and by means of these willshunt the permanent magnet.

In accordance with yet another facet of the invention, a permanentmagnet is again provided with two magnetic parallel flux paths; one ofthese paths is'shorted by means of a first movable armature and includessoft iron conductors that carry the induction coils; and the second fluxpath may be closed by means of a second armature, and the secondarmature may be accelerated in the direction towards the soft ironconductors and shortly before making an air gap free contact with thesoft iron conductors separates the first armature from the soft ironconductors.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system for mechanically generatingnonperiodical electric sparks in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention, the induction coils and their circuits having been omittedfor the purpose of clarity and simplicity, both flux paths having an airgap;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing one of theflux paths without air gap;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 1, with both flux pathshaving an air gap, the air gap of one of the flux paths, however, beingcomparably small and permanent;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view, similiar to FIG. 3, but showing the air gapof the other flux path eliminated;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view, similar to the preceding views, butembodying a modification, one of the flux paths having an air gap andthe other one being without air p;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 5, but showing a differentposition in that the flux path that in FIG. 5 has a gap is now withoutair gap, and the flux path that in FIG. 5 did not have any air gap nowshows an air gap;

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the hysteresis graph of a permanent magnet;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view, similar to FIGS. 3 and 4, but, showing theinduction coils and the electric circuits for the induction coils, andhaving the permanent magnet between the induction coils and the variableair gap; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 8, but showing a furthermodification, the permanent magnet being disposed between the inductioncoils and the permanent air gap.

In carrying the invention into effect in the embodiments which have beenselected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and fordescription in this specification, and referring now particularly toFIGS. 14, a permanent magnet 4 is shown that has two poles N and S,respectively. To each pole there is applied a soft iron conductor 1 and2, respectively. A movable armature 100 is spaced for a distance x(FIG. 1) from the receiving surfaces 11 and 21, respectively, of thesoft iron conductors 1, 2. The armature 100 has corresponding receivingsurfaces 101 and 102, respectively, for interengaging the surfaces 11and 21 while the armature 100 is in shorting position (FIG. 2).

Near the other ends of the conductors 1 and 2, there is provided an airgap 3. Thus, the permanent magnet 4 forms part of two magnetic fluxpaths as follows: It forms a path of the first flux path M that includesthe parts 4, 1, 11, 101, 100, 102, 21, 2, and 4; and partakes in thesecond flux path M that includes the parts 4, 1, 3, 2, and 4.

Turning to the graph of FIG. 7, the permanent magnet 4 of FIG. 1 isdisposed approximately in the magnetic condition that is represented bythe point I (M M in which the outermost magnetizing graph, plotted inthe B-H diagram for the permanent magnet 4, is shown.

Turning now to FIG. 2, when the armature 100 is positioned on the endsurfaces 11 and 21 of the soft iron conductors 1 and 2 and therebyeliminates the air gap x, the induction B of the permanent magnet willincrease to the value II (MM) in FIG. 7. As the arrangement of the fluxpath M has not changed, the increase of B has taken place solely in theflux path M the induction B in the path M therefore will beapproximately (M The arrangements of the prior art made use of thechange in induction between I (M M and II (M The arrangement of FIGS. 3and 4 constitutes an advance over the arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2. InFIGS. 3 and 4, the air gap 33 of the second flux path has been reducedas compared to the air gap 3 of FIG. 1. Due to this change, thepermanent magnet 4 in the constellation of FIG. 3 assumes approximatelythe position III (M M in FIG. 4, and in the shorting position of FIG. 4will assume the position IV (M when the armature 100 will be positionedon the end surfaces 11, 21 of the soft iron conductors 1, 2,respectively. There will therefore result for the first flux path thechange in induction for the permanent magnet 4 from the point III (M Mto the point IV (M similarly to existing arrangements. The change ininduction of the second flux path M however, will be reflected by thechange from the point III (M M to the point 0 (M The last named changein the induction is markedly larger than that of the permanent magnet 4.The increased change in induction may be utilized when the inductioncoils are connected with the flux path M A further increase in theinduction change may be achieved by connecting the induction coils withthe flux path M The induction change is then comparable to a changebetween the points 0 (M and IV (M The choice of the point III of themagnetizing curve (FIG. 7) thus the arrangement of the air gap, dependson the magnitude of the energy required for generating the spark.

The available induction change can be further increased when twoarmatures and 300, respectively, are used in accordance with FIGS. 5 and6. In this arrangement, the armature 100 shortly before the shorting ofthe flux path M will move the armature 300 from the soft iron conductors1, 2 of the flux path M and therefore eliminates the shorting of thesecond flux path M In this arrangement, the stray currents are reduced,though mechanical effort is markedly increased.

The steep increase of the induction changes in all the embodiments ofthe system in accordance with the instant invention results in areduction in size of the structure and thereby permits to utilize theinstant system for instance in connection with pocket lighters.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, the soft iron conductors 1 and 2 define again thepermanent air gap 33 and are in contact with the poles of the permanentmagnet 4. A high voltage coil 5 surrounds a portion of the conductor 1,and has electrodes 51 for a spark gap. A low voltage coil 6 surrounds aportion of the conductor 2 and is connected to a spark exterminatorcondenser 7, and a switch 8. The armature 100 carries a cam or nose 9,and is movable between the position shown in FIG. 8 in which there is anair gap between the ends 11 and 21 of the conductors 1 and 2 and,respectively, the receiving surfaces 101 and 102 of the armature 100,and a position (see FIG. 4) in which the armature 100 makes contact withits receiving surfaces 101 and 102 with the end surfaces 11 and 21,

respectively, of the conductors 1 and 2 thereby shorting the first fluxpath of the permanent magnet 4.

When the armature 100 is accelerated in the direction V towards the endsurfaces 11 and 21 of the conductors 1 and 2, it will reach maximumspeed immediately before making impact with the end surfaces 11 and 21.The air gap 101-11-102-21 during that movement will be reduced untilupon the aforesaid impact it will be eliminated entirely.

Initially, the air gap 33 is small as compared to the air gap101-11102-21, and the magnetic flux predominantly will proceed along thesecond flux path 44-33- 2-4 that is connected with the induction coils 5and 6.

When the air gap 101-11-102-21 upon impact is eliminated, however, themagnetic flux will proceed along the first flux path, namely throughparts 4-1-100-2-4.

In this manner, in the system shown in FIG. 8, the flux that isconnected with the coils 5 and 6 will be reduced from its maximum asdetermined by the sizes of the air gap 33 and of the conductors 1 and 2,down to a value of about zero, while for the permanent magnet 4 the fluxwill be increased from the minimum that is determined by the air gap 33to an absolute maximum upon shorting by the impact of the armature 100.Towards the end of the movement of the armature 100, the nose 9 willopen the switch 8. By this opening, there will be an additional changeof field by the interruption of the shorting electric circuit in thecoil 6. The condenser 7 serves for spark extinguishing.

In FIG. 9 the first flux path 4-1-100-2-4 includes the coils 5 and 6.

In operation, in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 as well as FIGS. 8 and9, the impact of the armature 100 with the end surfaces 11 and 21 of theconductors 1 and 2 will cause a spark to be formed between theelectrodes 51.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desired tobe secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a system for generating nonperiodical electric sparks, thecombination of a permanent magnet, two soft iron conductors eachintermediate its ends being positioned adjacent a pole of said permanentmagnet, at least one armature positioned near one end of each of saidconductors, a high voltage circuit including in series a spark gaparrangement and a high voltage coil surrounding one of said conductors,a low voltage circuit including a low voltage coil surrounding the otherconductor and a normally closed switch and a condenser in parallel withsaid low voltage coil, whereby there will be formed two fiux paths, oneof said paths comprising said permanent magnet, said armature andportions of said conductors near said armature, and the other pathcomprising said permanent magnet and the remaining portions of saidconductors and having for at least a time period an air gap definedbetween the other ends of said conductors, said armature being movablebetween a first position wherein it is spaced for .a predetermineddistance from said one end of said conductors and a second positionwherein it makes contact with said one end of said conductors, anactuating cam driven from said armature, said switch being disposed inthe path of said cam, Whereby when said armature is driven from saidfirst towards said second position said cam will near the end of themovement of said armature open said switch and thereby will interruptsaid low voltage circuit, and said armature will terminate its movementnear its maximum speed upon making contact with said one ends of saidconductor thereby shorting said permanent magnet.

2. In a system, as claimed in claim 1, said air gap being constant atall times.

3. In a system, as claimed in claim 2, said permanent magnet beingdisposed between said coils and said one ends of said conductors.

4. In a system, as claimed in claim 2, said permanent magnet beingdisposed between said coils and said air gap. 5. In a system, as claimedin claim 1, a second armature disposed near the other ends of saidconductors and being movable between a first station wherein it makescontact with said other ends and a second station spaced apart from saidother ends thereby establishing said air gap, said one armature at leastshortly before reaching its second position being operable to move saidsecond armature from the first to the second station.

References Cited VOLODYMYR Y. MAYEWSKY, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R

